5 Things to Know About R.E.M.'s Murmur
- It was R.E.M.’s debut studio album, released on April 12, 1983, by I.R.S. Records.
- The album established their signature jangly guitar sound and cryptic lyrics.
- It was recorded in just two weeks at Reflection Sound Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Murmur won Rolling Stone’s Album of the Year in 1983, beating out Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
- The album’s cover art features a kudzu-covered building, reflecting the band’s Southern roots.